There's This Story
by Babyfaced
Summary: When Ino joins Shikamaru in cloudgazing which is strange in itself, even stranger things can happen. And is Shikamaru coming down with some kind of disease?


A/N: To avoid potential lawsuits, this story was sort of inspired by _Just__ some questions_ by Mizz Underztood, and by my friends who just keep telling me the story featured in this fanfic. I'm just writing this because I got the idea last night and had the sudden urge to write it down, and to breathe life into my writing skills-- my other two series are getting dusty. I apologize to all my readers, but I think I'll update soon. But I can't make any promises... ;)

**There's This Story...**

It was a clear and sunny (but not too sunny, so as not to impair one's vision) day. The perfect day for watching the clouds. Konoha's genius (the lazy one, seeing as there are three and the other two have so much angst they could be in a cheesy drama) lay on the green grass, interlaced fingers creating a cushion behind his head. His head was tilting upwards, his frame completely still. His half-lidded eyes following the white fluffy clouds drift slowly through the sky.

Today, however, seemed to be one of the rare days that his blond female companion and teammate (who also happened to boss him around as if he was her butler or something) was willing to come along, as she was laying on the grass next to him (not too close, or this would have been considered, he mentally choked at the thought, an intimate moment). Apparently she was bored and had nothing to do except stare at the clouds with him. Why she didn't just boss him into doing something she wanted was something Shikamaru could not fathom (which was saying something, as he had an IQ of 200).

"That one looks like a frog," Ino commented, pointing at one of the clouds. Shikamaru groaned inwardly, wondering if she would ever realize that he wasn't looking at the clouds to try and find _shapes_.

"How troublesome," he muttered his breath, as he had done many times before. It didn't need to be mentioned that most of the time it was in Ino's presence. Or, more accurately, _because_ of Ino's presence.

Ino's eyebrows lifted and the corners of her mouth turned downwards in an expression that could be called hurt, the dark-haired boy observed through the corner of his eye. He berated himself mentally, brushing off the thought that he might have _possibly_ hurt her feelings.

There were a few minutes of silence as Shikamaru's eyelids closer even farther, and Ino sighed and sat up, hugging her knees.

"Want to hear a story Sakura told me?" the blonde asked.

"Not really..." was the grunted reply.

"Well, when I tried to watch the clouds, that didn't work out that well, did it?" she snapped, her eyes flashing.

Shikamaru sighed and decided it would be better to pretend to listen to the story then get Ino mad. At least one way he could get some peace.

"Fine..."

Her face instantly brightened, and, for some strange, odd, weird, all of the above and all of the synonyms (and Shikamaru could think of many, including troublesome and stupid) reason, his insides were warmed at the sight. He made a face while she wasn't looking.

"Okay, it goes like this," Ino began, "One day this girl asked her boyfriend if he though she was pretty. He said no. Then she asked if she left, would he cry. He said no. Then she asked if he liked her, and he said no."

Shikamaru rose an eyebrow. What kind of a story was that?

"Just as she was about to walk away crying," she continued, "He grabbed her wrist and said, 'I don't think you're pretty, I think you're beautiful. I wouldn't cry if you left, I would die. And, I don't just like you... I love you.'"

There was a short silence.

"Well, that's stupid." He remarked, not even looking at her, his gaze still fixed up at the clouds.

"What?" She said angrily.

"Well, if it were me," he said in monotone, "talking to a girl I liked, loved, whatever, I wouldn't just say she's beautiful. I'd say she's gorgeous."

Ino tried (unsuccessfully) to hide her surprise.

"I wouldn't just die if she left, I would kill myself."

She was stared at him.

"And," he said, meeting her eyes, "I wouldn't just say I love you. I'd say I need you."

There was a pregnant pause as they stared at each other. Finally Shikamaru broke eye contact, standing up.

"Well, I'm going. I have to go and get Chouji before he eats all the food in my fridge." he said, as if nothing had happened. In reality, he had a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach, and his heart felt... weird. He'd have to see a medi-nin about it later.

"Shikamaru," Ino said suddenly, also standing up. She smiled at him. Now it felt like his stomach was flipping over and his heart was doing cartwheels. He'd really have to see that medi-nin now.

"Hn?" he said, trying to ignore the warm feeling he was getting again inside.

"Walk me home?" It was late afternoon and she needed to get back to the shop.

"How troublesome..." he said, but offered her his arm anyway. She happily latched onto him, interlacing her fingers with his.

He looked at her, surprised. She just smiled at him again. Great. Now he'd _really_ have to look up symptoms that included blushing, warm feelings inside, and moving organs. Maybe he was getting cancer. At least he hoped so, and it _wasn't_ the other thing he thought it was.

No such luck. He _was_ a genius, after all.


End file.
